Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical Top Rated

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Title: Fludd

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Hilary Mantel

Narrator: Gordon Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-12-13

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 62 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

One dark and stormy night in 1956, a stranger named Fludd mysteriously turns up in the dismal village of Fetherhoughton. He is the curate sent by the bishop to assist Father Angwin - or is he? In the most unlikely of places, a superstitious town that understands little of romance or sentimentality, where bad blood between neighbors is ancient and impenetrable, miracles begin to bloom. No matter how copiously Father Angwin drinks while he confesses his broken faith, the level of the bottle does not drop. Although Fludd does not appear to be eating, the food on his plate disappears. Fludd becomes lover, gravedigger, and savior, transforming his dull office into a golden regency of decision, unashamed sensation, and unprecedented action.

Knitting together the miraculous and the mundane, the dreadful and the ludicrous, Fludd is a tale of alchemy and transformation told with astonishing art, insight, humor, and wit.

Members Reviews:

Small, tight irreverant novel that wryly inverts

Not a word, not a word of love, Perhaps, she thought, he does not love in the ordinary way. God loves us, after all, He manifests it in cancer, cholera, Siamese twins. Not all forms of love are comprehensible, and some forms of love destroy what they touch.

After devouring 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring Up the Bodies', I was ready for another Mantel. 'Fludd' is a small, tight irreverant novel about God, belief, love, faith, innocence and knowledge. There were segments of this novel where the threads of the narrative disengaged so much I was almost ready to drop the whole novel, but then Mantel would use that loose line to wrap the prose of the next couple pages around my head and choke me.

The novel was filled with amazing characters: a parish priest who no longer believes in God, but still believes in the Devil; a eczema stigmatitized nun attracted to her guardian angel (or devil?), a gang of bitchy, spiteful nuns, and the title character who might be an alchemist, an angel or a devil or all of the above. With 'Fludd', Mantel explores the silent and understated boundaries between faith and modernity, between innocence and knowledge, between good and evil.

While, for me, this didn't hit as hard as her last two novels, it was worth the read to see her early efforts at historical and literary inversion. Mantel is brilliant when she is crafting an uneasy story that flips your assumptions about history, morality, good and evil.

A satisfying listen on many levels

This is a delightfully sly story. The descriptions are so vivid you feel you are watching a movie. The characters are interesting and you care about their struggles. Having been pinched, poked and prodded by many a nun, I have full faith and confidence in the accuracy of the portrayals of convent life. I never met a priest as lovable as Father Angwin, except as portrayed in Hollywood movies, but then I never met a priest who had lost his faith. The title character of Fludd is a bit enigmatic, but his namesake was a medieval doctor and scholar as well as an astrologer and alchemist. He works a bit of human alchemy with kindness, wit and charm.

Devil or angel?

Hilary Mantel's cosmos is filled with both, and we are never sure with exactly whom we are dealing.

Better to fade out then burn away

No away I would ever read this book. My wife got it as I had gotten wolf hall. Of that series I find it excellent in every manner.

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Title: The House of the Vestals

Subtitle: The Investigations of Gordianus the Finder, Book 6

Author: Steven Saylor

Narrator: Ralph Cosham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is ancient Rome, and Gordianus the Finder has a knack for finding trouble. Known to many as the one man in the ancient world who can both keep a secret and uncover one, Gordianus lays bare some of his most intriguing and compelling adventures.

The House of the Vestals collects nine of the award-winning stories of Gordianus the Finder by critically acclaimed, best-selling author Steven Saylor. Filling in some of the gaps between novels, this delightful collection ofunique and unforgettable mysteries is Saylor at his finest - revealing the intrigues in the secret history of Rome.

In Little Caesar and the Pirates, Gordianus must act as a go-between for kidnappers, but he begins to wonder whois really being held hostage. In The Alexandrian Cat, a mischievous girl anda tell-tale sneeze reveal an ingenious plot of murder and thievery. In The House of the Vestals, blackmail goes horribly wrong, and there is no one to take the blame. These stories and more make up an engrossing collection of finely wrought mystery tales with all the suspense and craft that are the trademark of Saylors work.

Members Reviews:

Terrible Narrator

What made the experience of listening to The House of the Vestals the most enjoyable?

The stories are well written and dense with historical detail

What didnt you like about Ralph Coshams performance?

Mr. Cosham sounds like a 90 year old man. His voice is thick, hoarse and wavering. Gordianus is supposed to be a vigorous man in his late 30's, not an elderly, wheezing, nursing home patient. Also, Mr. Cosham CANNOT change is voice in any way to portray different characters. He sounds the same which ever character is speaking. Male, female, young, old, greek or roman- his voice never changes its quality.The only thing that kept me going were the interesting stories.

If you could rename The House of the Vestals, what would you call it?

A good bunch of stories almost rendered useless by a poor narration.

this is the narration this book SHOULD have

Any additional comments?

this is what listening to an audible book should be like. STORY>>nothing but story. thank you

Always entertaining

I ovve this series. Our hero is always cracking wise and making me guffaw with his self deprecating humor. Good entertainment, I enjoyed them all.

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Title: The Assassination of Orange

Subtitle: A Foreworld SideQuest

Author: Joseph Brassey

Narrator: Michael Page

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-28-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

There's a bounty out for Prince William of Orange...and "alive" is not an option.

The Dutch are trying to free themselves from the Spanish yolk, and the dynamic and charismatic revolutionary, William of Orange, is risking life and limb for the nation he so desperately loves. But when the Spanish monarch offers glory, titles, and twenty thousand crowns for the man who can silence William, the battle for the Netherlands becomes an assassin's game.

Celebrated Welsh mercenary Roger Williams is ordered by the crown of England to protect the prince at all costs, and while the Welsh mercenary has many years of battlefield experience, the cat and mouse of political assassination is a much different fight. The enemy is faceless, its tactics are unknown, and there will be little or no warning before the attempt is made. Roger's skills are drawn from the legacy of the Shield-Brethren - the one true art of the sword - and he may be unprepared for the dawning of the age of the gun.

Members Reviews:

A Piece of the Foreworld Puzzle

As a dedicated fan of The Foreworld Saga, of which Joseph Brassey's The Assassination of Orange is a small but

important part, it has been a little project of mine, starting about a year ago, to accompany my re-readings

of the seminal novels and shorter "Sidequests" by listening to their audio books while re-reading. This has been

a very enjoyable and rewarding endeavor, and since I don't get time to review every book and story I read

I thought I'd say a few words about this one.

Rooted solidly in historical contexts, Brassey's novella recalls the assassination itself, while characterizing not just

William the Silent, the victim, but also his real-life assassin Balthasar Gerard and one of Orange's retainers,

Roger Williams, whose broader service was to Queen Elizabeth under Robert Dudley. Lurking in the background in service

to Orange's nemesis King Philip of Spain is the Duke of Parma, Alexander Farnesse, who becomes a part of

the Foreworld secret history in this tale, representing the "other side" arrayed against the Shield-Brethren

and other forces that appear in the original novels as the protectors of Western civilization against any

and all of its oppressors - largely the Catholic church. The warrior monks make no appearance in Brassey's story,

which takes place long after they have melted into the background. Williams, the character most representative of them

and probably most like them in real life, shows no sign of being part of their order, displays nothing like the

supernatural vor-sight those knights often display, and is in fact probably a more rational and disciplined

character than he was in real life. If anyone in the novella is meant to represent them in opposition to Farnesse,

it is Robert Dudley, manipulating things in the background without Williams's actual knowledge. Just as Farnesse,

flaunting the ancient "broken fasces" symbol on his ring, is clearly a conspirator who manipulates as much as

serves King Philip.

I make note of all of this simply because several reviewers of this novella complain it is too short, while others

say it feels like the first part of a larger story. And it is.

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Title: Merivel

Subtitle: A Man of His Time

Author: Rose Tremain

Narrator: Sean Barrett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-14-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The Restoration is over and Robert Merivel, renowned physician and courtier to Charles II, now faces the anxieties of middle age. Questions crowd his mind: has he been a good father? Is he a fair master? Is he the kings friend or the kings slave?

In search of answers, Merivel sets off for the French court. But Versailles leaves him in despair, until a chance encounter with a seductive Swiss botanist allows him to dream of an honorable future. But back home, his loyalty and medical skill are about to be tested to the limit, while the captive bear he has brought back from France begins to cause havoc...

With a cascade of lace at his neck and a laugh that can burst out of him in the midst of torment, Merivel is soulful, outrageous, and achingly sad. His unmistakable, self-mocking voice speaks directly to us down the centuries. Get ready to laugh, prepare to weep - Robert Merivel is back in Rose Tremains magical sequel to Restoration.

Members Reviews:

On Foolishness and Mortality

This book picks up 15 years after King Charles II has restored Robert Merivel to his former grand house, Bidnold, in Norfolk. Both the King and Merivel, as well as his faithful servant Will Gates, are aging; Merivel is now 56 and his daughter Margaret has grown into a graceful beauty whom he is very attached to. When their neighbours propose to take her away with them to Cornwall for a time, the notion of this separation depresses Merivel so much that the King suggests Merivel set out to Versailles for a change of air, and to seek the patronage of his cousin Louis XIV as one of his court doctors. But when Merivel arrives at the French palace, he is discouraged to find his letter from King Charles does not help to discern him from the masses of supplicants equally looking from favour from the the Sun King, and he is obliged to share a garret with a Dutch clockmaker and subside on a diet of peas and jam, with drinking water supplied from the public water fountains, and to add insult to injury, he also has to put up with ridicule from the courtiers who find his clothes and accessories aren't up to the latest standards of Versailles fads.

Things start looking up when he meets with a Swiss beauty called Louise de Flamanville who proposes to bring him to a couturier to outfit him with the necessary bows and ribbons. She happens to dabble in chemical experiments and quickly takes on Merivel as her lover, until her wrathful husband, a homosexual guardsman, eventually provokes him into a duel. Later on, Merivel is forced to make a choice which reminds him too much of the past in the form of a marriage of convenience which is to bring him great wealth and splendour, but that choice has led him down the wrong path once before, making him indebted forever, and he had promised himself not to repeat that mistake again.

Instead, he rescues a captive bear from certain death, which is later christened Clarendon by the King, and brings him back to Bidnold. Now Merivel hopes to make something of his life by starting work on a treatise inspired to him by Clarendon, and which seeks to prove that animals have souls, which of course, he eventually abandons.

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Title: The Movement of Stars

Author: Amy Brill

Narrator: Carla Mercer-Meyer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-13

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is 1845, and Hannah Gardner Price has lived all 24 years of her life according to the principles of the Nantucket Quaker community in which she was raised, where simplicity and restraint are valued above all, and a woman's path is expected to lead to marriage and motherhood. But up on the rooftop each night, Hannah pursues a very different - and elusive - goal: Discovering a comet and thereby winning a gold medal awarded by the King of Denmark, something unheard of for a woman.

And then she meets Isaac Martin, a young, dark-skinned whaler from the Azores who, like herself, has ambitions beyond his expected station in life. Drawn to his intellectual curiosity and honest manner, Hannah agrees to take Isaac on as a student. But when their shared interest in the stars develops into something deeper, Hannah's standing in the community begins to unravel, challenging her most fundamental beliefs about work and love, and ultimately changing the course of her life forever.

Inspired by the work of Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in America, The Movement of Stars is a richly drawn portrait of desire and ambition in the face of adversity.

Members Reviews:

Wish I could get back 7 of those hours.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Most likely not, it is not my favorite story. It is definitely interesting subject matter and I liked many of the more psychological insights the characters had, but it was just so hard to get into and it just drags on a bit in certain areas. I love historically based fiction too, but this one was just not a keeper for me.

Would you be willing to try another book from Amy Brill? Why or why not?

Probably not...but then again I might.

Would you be willing to try another one of Carla Mercer-Meyers performances?

No, honestly I think the book's mostly slow plot line was made worse by the narration. I didn't like the slow, kind of teacher-ish way it was read in at all. And I especially didn't care for the voice she gave to one of the main characters, Isaac Martin. It just got on my nerves the entire time. Also, she took the mostly dull character of Hannah Price and made her even more flat by the almost monotone timid voice she gave her. I don't want to be too harsh though because I'm sure she is talented, but maybe this narrator and this book weren't a good fit.

Was The Movement of Stars worth the listening time?

No, I'd like to at least get 7 of those 14 hours back.

Ok but a little bit cheesy

Decent but a little bit cheesy. I would not recommend, but if you're curious, it's not a total waste of time.

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Title: The Caspian Gates

Subtitle: Warrior of Rome, Book IV

Author: Harry Sidebottom

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-03-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 51 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

AD 262: The Roman Imperium is in turmoil after the struggle for the throne that brought Gallienus to power. Ephesus, the metropolis of the Eastern Empire, lies in ruins, shattered by a mighty earthquake. Its citizens live in fear as the mob overwhelms the city, baying for blood to avenge the gods who have punished them. Yet an even greater threat to the Empire advances from the north: the barbaric Goth tribes, determined to pillage the city. Only Ballista, Warrior of Rome, knows the ways of the barbarians, and only he can defeat them.

A relentlessly gripping and richly authentic tale of ancient warfare,The Caspian Gatesis an adventure for Rome enthusiasts and scholars alike. Widely acclaimed for his Warrior of Rome series, Harry Sidebottom "provides a well-constructed, well-paced, and gripping accountwhich, as a good series should, leaves the reader eagerly anticipating the next installment" (Times Literary Supplement).

Critic Reviews:

"Sidebottoms prose blazes with searing scholarship." (The London Times)

"The best sort of red-blooded historical fiction." (Andrew Taylor, CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award-winning author ofThe American Boy)

"Sidebottom remains consistently meticulous about detail, old-fashioned about storytelling, and astute in portraying political backstabbing worthy of the modern arena." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Professorial

Would you try another book from Harry Sidebottom and/or Stefan Rudnicki?

Pompus, professorial, crude review of high school greek history and latin

What do you think your next listen will be?

Amber Road

Would you be willing to try another one of Stefan Rudnickis performances?

maybe

What character would you cut from The Caspian Gates?

The author

Any additional comments?

These books are written for listeners that enjoy greek and roman history, but for enjoyment and not a rehash of high school latin class.

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Title: The Far Side of the World

Subtitle: Aubrey-Maturin Series, Book 10

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Narrator: Ric Jerrom

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is still the War of 1812 and Jack Aubrey - with his tetchy, sardonic friend Stephen Maturin - has set course across the South Atlantic to intercept a powerful American frigate outward bound to play havoc with the British whaling trade. If they do not come up with her before she rounds the Horn, they must follow her into the Great South Sea and as far across the Pacific as she may lead them.

But Aubrey has to cope with a succession of disasters - men overboard, castaways, encounters with savages, storms, typhoons, groundings, shipwrecks, to say nothing of murder and criminal insanity.

Members Reviews:

Great but shame about the editing

Having been a Patrick O'Brian fan since the 1990s I am delighted that the novels are now being produced as unabridged audio books with the talented Ric Jerrom managing to capture every character with a different and convincing voice, often within the same sentence. Robert Hardy made some great audio recordings about 10 years ago but, being abridged, they did not do justice to this a amazing canon of work. For anyone new to the Aubrey-Maturin novels, you have a treat in store, this is Hornblower meets John Le Carre with Origin of Species, as these unlikely friends travel the world in the service of the Royal Navy of the Napoloeonic era. Maturin is a surgeon, spy and naturalist and shares with Captain Aubrey and the reader the complex political issues of the time and the discoveries of science. However he knows nothing of the sea, giving Aubrey a reason to explain to him and us the workings of the ship and the tactics of naval warfare. This book, The Far Side of the World perhaps contains more action than any other, with the pair going round the Horn into the Pacific and surviving, amongst many other adventures, being lost overboard and, after their miraculous rescue, being plucked from a desert island occupied by mutineers.

The publishers are releasing each new recording on the 1st of the month which is great for us enthusiasts. However, this time they have slipped up on the editing. Ric Jerrom is clearly a perfectionist, if he is not satisfied with the intonation or emphasis of a sentence he reads it again. Several of these have not been edited out and if they would please attend to this in future releases, a perfect outcome will have been achieved.

badly edited

Good story well narrated but lots of repeated sentences due to poor production. way below the usual standard.

a wonderful naval tranche of sea life

the best narrator so far in audible and a wonderful tale of naval action on board hms surprise with irrepressible caotain Aubrey

Excellent narrator

Well read by narrator

Typically excellent story by Patrick O Brian

Totally recommend this book

Flawless

I was left breathless at the end. The best yet, in terms of performance and story!! What a tale!

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Title: In Pursuit of the Green Lion

Subtitle: A Margaret of Ashbury Novel, Book 2

Author: Judith Merkle Riley

Narrator: Anne Flosnik

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-07-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 30 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The unforgettable Margaret of Ashbury returns in the second book of the trilogy that began with A Vision of Light.

Margaret, a resourceful midwife, is living with the insufferable relatives of her third husband, Gilbert de Vilers, known as Gregory. She is carving out a life for herself and her daughters despite the hostility and greed of her in-laws. But when Gregory is captured in France and held for ransom, Margaret knows she must take action - her in-laws are too tight with money to be of any use - so she teams up with her old friends Mother Hilde, the herbalist, and Brother Malachi, an alchemist on a quest for the secret of changing base metals into gold. Together, the trio plan to rescue Gregory and bring him back to London, where he and Margaret can start a new life away from his meddling family. And thus begins a wild romp across fourteenth-century Europe.

Murderous noblemen, scheming ladies, truculent ghosts, and a steady stream of challenges plague the journey. Margaret will need not only her special gift of healing, her quick mind, and her independent spirit but the loyalty of her friends and the love of her new husband to carry them all safely home.

Members Reviews:

The miracles continue....

This is the second book in the Margaret of Ashford series and the quality (and the miracles) keep up nicely. My favorite characters - Mother Hilda and Brother Malachi - are along for the adventure as Margaret must rescue her new husband, Gilbert, from a french count, possessed by evil forces!

As I commented after listening to the first book, these characters do not have the dark, complex bitterness that's typical of main characters today. Margaret, the protagonist, is all good. Listen to this series when you are in the mood to see evil vanquished and love triumphant. You will not be disappointed.

Good story - horrendous narration!!

What did you like best about In Pursuit of the Green Lion? What did you like least?

The story takes the listener to far off times. It could have thrilled me greater had it been narrated by someone else.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Anne Flosnik?

Davina Porter. No-one can tell a story like her. Anne Flosnik's monotone, with only two different ranges, made the tale hard work to listen to. AF has a female character's voice and a male character's. The latter was confusing for the listener, as unless the story character was named during conversations, it was impossible to know who was speaking. The narration was monotonous with no variation, range or accent. I felt it spoiled the tale.

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Title: Iscariot

Subtitle: A Novel of Judas

Author: Tosca Lee

Narrator: Jason Culp

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-05-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 85 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Acclaimed New York Times best-selling author Tosca Lee brilliantly adapts the life of Judas Iscariot into a dazzling work of fiction - humanizing the man whose very name is synonymous with betrayal.

Based on extensive research into the life and times of Judas Iscariot, this triumph of fiction storytelling by the author of Havah: The Story of Eve revisits one of biblical historys most maligned figures and brings the world he inhabited vividly to life.

In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One - the promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, he joins the Nazarenes followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life. But soon Judas vision of a nation free from Rome is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention - who seems, in the end, to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas, from his tumultuous childhood to his emergence as the man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus that forces us to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous - and infamous - religious icons in history.

Members Reviews:

Felt very real and got me thinking

One of the reviewers had stated that this book didn't feel real and that the disciples didn't feel real and couldn't see how they went on to start a church because they didn't have enough faith. I feel the exact opposite, yes this book does show the disciples as human beings who struggled with faith as much as we do in this present age, but to me this added to the believability of this book. We have each read the gospels and we know the story and therefore we think we would have acted differently had we lived, walked, talked with and seen Jesus ourselves...however this book shows how real people without a glimpse into the future would act. More importantly I felt the character of Judas was very real. Through this story I felt his doubts, his longing for a Messiah, for someone to fight for him and for his people, to bring down the Romans with a crushing blow, to bring down the hypocrites in the temple...and his dissapointment when that did not happen. Tosca Lee does an extraordinary job in this story and it moved me to tears because it made me look at myself and all my doubts and I saw the Judas in me. It made me see that I too could have been Judas. The ending was good too but I was hoping for something a bit different, but that is the writer in me seeing a thousand different possibilities. Overall, I loved this book and look forward for more stories from this author...oh, and I highly recommend this one! It is definatly one of Tosca's best so far!

Compelling and Beautifully Written

I was so engrossed with this story. I normally avoid period pieces, as well as anything with biblical leanings however Tosca Lee is so gifted that this novel could take place at any time and in any place. The language was effortless. The story was so compelling, even the most familiar stories from the bible took on a new life for me. It renewed my interest and my faith. This is a must-read. This is a beautifully written work that engages from start to finish.

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Title: The Daylight Gate

Author: Jeanette Winterson

Narrator: Sian Thomas

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-16-12

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Good Friday, 1612. Pendle Hill, Lancashire. A mysterious gathering of 13 people is interrupted by local magistrate Roger Nowell. Is this a witches' Sabbat? Two notorious Lancashire witches are already in Lancaster Castle awaiting trial. Why is the beautiful and wealthy Alice Nutter defending them? And why is she among the group of 13 on Pendle Hill? Elsewhere, a starved, abused child lurks. And a Jesuit priest and former Gunpowder plotter, recently returned from France, is widely rumoured to be heading for Lancashire. But who will offer him sanctuary? And how quickly can he be caught? This is the reign of James I, a Protestant King with an obsession: to rid his realm of twin evils, witchcraft and Catholicism, at any price.

Members Reviews:

Very disappointing

I am so sad to say that this was a bit of a disappointment. I love Jeanette Winterson and after reading a few articles about this book, eagerly anticipated the Audible release. I had also previously listened to 'Why be happy when you could be normal?' (audiobook of the year without a doubt) so had high hopes for this. Winterson has researched and written this beautifully and I think the problem may be in the audio version. I found myself confusing the characters a little which obviously hindered full immersion into the story. The narration

was bearable but really lacked any sense of atmosphere, suspense or period feel. Maybe one that's better to read?

wonderful narration

I had to 'read' this because the book group chose it. I found the story rather too gory for my taste, and the plot a little unsatisfying, if difficult to 'switch off'. But the narration was superb. I also had the book itself from the library but enjoyed much more listening to it read in Sian Thomas's voice.

Nice to hear alternative voices

It is so nice to hear a story written about the lives and experiences of essentially ordinary women from history; although it is tough to hear as violence and abuse against women is still ongoing and reinforces how far we have come and yet in some ways how little has changed. The narration was good and the story engaging and refreshing in the sense that it was not another story of powerful and privileged individuals. The length is just right with the ending offering some optimism through resistance. I will definitely be listening to more for this author.

Winterson does it again

This is wonderful. Darkly insightful. The narrator does it full justice. The whole flow of the book is something one would always expect of Jeanette. Although I was hesitant that this genre was something perhaps a little different, she always manages to pull it off. This is a fantastic read...A little bit looming in places so be careful listening to it as you're going to sleep!